Adventure Club Takes Students into the Great Outdoors

The six students stood in the early morning sunshine, watching the light glint off of the small stream that flowed into the dark mouth of the cave ahead of them. Donning helmets with headlamps to guide their way, the students followed the path of the stream into Indiana’s Mill Cave, excited to begin another outing with Trinity’s Adventure Club.

The club was formed last year by Collin Barnes ’10 of Soap Lake, Washington; Brian Boucek ’10 of Rockford, Illinois; and Paul Groenewold ’10 of Sunnyside, Washington, when the biking, climbing, and caving clubs decided to join together and plan a variety of weekly excursions cycling along Palos Heights’ extensive biking trails, climbing at local climbing walls, treasure hunting or “geocaching”, and caving, which can involve longer excursions to state parks and preserves.

This most recent trip took six students to Henderson Park in Indiana. The three club leaders joined Danielle Barnes ’10 of Pella, Iowa; Katie Faber ’10 of New Lenox, Illinois; and Eric Robbert ’13 of LaGrange, Illinois, as they explored two caves at the nature preserve.

“It’s awesome,” said Collin Barnes, a history education major who loves the outdoors. “People just walk along and have no idea there’s a whole ecosystem under their feet.”

One of his favorite parts of caving is the joy of discovery. “You can crawl through a narrow passage and come out into a cavern with an underground waterfall.”

Barnes’ interest in caving was sparked by Dr. Craig Luehr, professor of chemistry. Professor Luehr, who also enjoys caving, helps the club by lending them the necessary equipment. The club is also supported by Student Activities, which helped with transportation for the trip to Indiana.

“Adventure Club activities are a draw for a lot of students,” said Barnes. “Everything we do outdoors takes us away from noise and crowds and lets us see nature the way it’s supposed to be.”